Second acts are always an exciting and delicate proposition. At best, they can take the artist to inspired new places, not to mention dazzle crowds with unexpected talents and passions. And sadly, there’s also the inherent danger of succumbing to the dreaded “sophomore slump,” or maybe attempting a project too ambitious or high concept to execute adroitly. So, when lauded local chef and author Melissa Martin revealed her long-anticipated follow-up to the much-adored restaurant Mosquito Supper Club — an elevated Cajun spot that embraces communal dining and an evolving, fixed menu — it’s safe to say we took notice with great enthusiasm. After all, since its opening in 2014, Mosquito has not only garnered widespread acclaim, but also laurels, including two James Beard nominations and a win for Martin’s 2022 cookbook bearing the restaurant’s name. What hungry gastronome’s interest wouldn’t be piqued?
Fortunately for all, Martin’s second act as a restaurateur rises to the occasion, though it might not be exactly what some expected. After Mosquito’s success, a large modern space in the CBD could easily make sense, or perhaps a funky experimental spot in the Quarter. Instead, Martin and her team, including developer and restaurateur Cassie Dymond and Mosquito’s chef de cuisine Camille Cook, decided to turn a historic home on four acres of land in Algiers into a delightful fine-dining destination we didn’t know we needed.
And how, exactly, did Martin and Dymond decide on Saint Claire’s concept? “I think that the restaurant was born from the property,” Martin said. “Cassie and I came and saw it, and we always wanted to open a space in the country, but I think we always shied away from doing it because we weren’t quite sure how we felt about being in Mississippi or on the North Shore. But when we saw this property that was so close to the New Orleans we love, the restaurant sort of created itself.” As for the menu, one would rightly imagine that Martin, a Chauvin, Louisiana native known for celebrating the comforts and flavors of Cajun cuisine, might stick to what made Mosquito so adored. Which it does, and then some. Turns out, Martin decided to use this opportunity to add more global influences and techniques to the mix as well, resulting in a unique admixture that does, indeed, take Saint Claire into intriguing new territory.
“I knew I wasn’t going to do Cajun food,” Martin said directly. “I wanted to do all the things that I love that don’t make it onto the Mosquito Supper Club menu, because they just don’t quite fit what we’re doing there. What I say about the menu at St Claire is that it’s a small menu of things that we love.”
There is, in fact, much to love about Saint Claire, starting with the property itself. Despite being only minutes away from Uptown or Downtown New Orleans, walking up to a stately manse amidst a grove of majestic live oaks, the feeling is almost immediately transportive, as though you’re dining in a well-heeled friend’s handsome country estate. A wraparound porch entices diners to relax, sip a cold beverage and enjoy the quiet, natural splendor. And even in light of the property’s renovations to turn the home into a restaurant, the design choices, from the charming antique tableware to the thoughtful landscaping, make one feel as though Saint Claire is naturally both contemporary and vintage.
But a glorious dining space alone can’t make a restaurant, of course; the menu should always shine equally as brightly as the space, if not more so. Martin and company deliver a menu that will satisfy Mosquito Supper Club fans who love its high-end Cajun fare, but also brings some continental influences to the table. It’s a tidy menu, only about 15 items, giving diners plenty of choices without feeling overwhelmed. You might start with a platter of raw Brightside oysters served with mignonette sauce, or house-made ciabatta with peach/rosemary confiture and cultured butter. And after that opening salvo, the offerings open up into more substantial options, both of the hearty and the delicate varieties.
Not that St. Clair loses the Cajun soul that made Mosquito such a hit. If you’ve ever enjoyed the duck and andouille gumbo on the bar menu there, you’ll be excited to learn that it has a home at St. Clair as well. But rather than skewing completely traditional, Saint Claire expands upon those classic Southwest Louisiana flavors. Take, for instance, the rabbit rillettes, a traditional French picnic favorite. “It’s delicious, and sometimes hard to find if you’re not in the south of France, but one’s super beautiful,” she said, and of course she’s not wrong: slathering freshly baked sourdough with luscious rillettes topped with pickled peppers and a drizzle of plumb-cardamom confiture is an absolute treat for the carnivorously inclined. Similarly, a plate of pillowy gnocchi festooned with jumbo lump crabmeat in a delicate lemon beurre dusted with chives isn’t something you’ll want to miss, either, inspired, according to Martin, by classic baked potato flavors.
Other standouts at Saint Claire include smoked beets paired with crème fraîche and trout roe, a playful combination of earthy and marine flavors and textures. Said Martin, “Those are kind of an ode to this beautiful restaurant called La Mercerie in New York City. Marie Rose is the chef there, and I once had a smoked beet salad at her restaurant, and it was outstanding. So we do a smoked beet salad that’s very much like the one that I have there, just our own version.” On the more robust side, there’s the fan-favorite duck confit brought over from Mosquito, here served with muscadines, Benton’s country ham and caramelized onions. You’ll also find lamb meatballs nestling with stracciatella under a blanket of fazzoletti pasta. “It’s just a big sheet of pasta that’s shaped like a handkerchief,” said Martin, “and we drape it over the meatballs, then stick it in the oven to get it really nice and browned, and then we top it with stracciatella and tomatoes. Like lasagna, the best parts are those crispy edges.” And if you happened to save room for dessert, expect Martin’s signature hand pies served with luscious buttermilk ice cream, and, if you’re lucky, a slice of decadent olive oil chocolate cake with a cocoa-meringue frosting.
There are a few fun plans in the works, as well, including new picnic-style meals prepared in-house, which you can order online in advance and then enjoy on the spacious, verdant grounds surrounding the property. Martin said, “I’ve always dreamed of having a picnic company. And so I guess my dreams are coming true!”
Walking out of Saint Claire and strolling contentedly among the oaks before returning to the bustle of the city, it certainly has a dreamlike quality, one that New Orleanians have already embraced wholeheartedly, and for good reason. One might even be tempted to wonder, “If this is their second act, what can we possibly hope for in the next?” But don’t get ahead of yourself. There’s more than enough to enjoy with this helping, and undoubtedly more to come.
